10/30/14

Why I don't like THE SHACK (2)

The Shack is a book that wants to kill the notion
that God is a legalist who cares mainly about rules and about our
keeping his rules. It wishes to dethrone a God who cares for us only if
we attempt to win his favor by ferreting out his commandments and
attempting to keep up with them. It wants to bury a gloomy God who would
like us to grovel before him in fear; a God obsessed with his own image
and one with whom we have to curry favor by doing enough good deeds,
going to church and reading our Bibles and such. It wants to get rid of a
God who offers us his love but leaves us uncertain if he'll continue to
love us if we blunder a lot—a kind of carrot always held out in front of a hungry weary donkey sort of scenario. Click here for something like that.I like that as an agenda. Supposing
a God like that existed and we could do it, dethroning, killing,
burying and getting rid of him in the name of the true God would bless
the world. We should kill a god like that the way wed kill a rabid dog,
without mercy and without remorse at having done it. [Though I'm sure
we'd be sad that the dog had been sick.]The good news is there is only one true God and he is nothing like that!What does The Shack substitute for the caricature it wishes to put an end to? It offers another caricature.
Only for literary and teaching purposes it presents God as a female. We
get a sweet, folksy, chuckling female called Papa; an I- love-to-cook
God who dishes up pancakes, fried eggs and bacon and ceaseless goodies
while making it clear that she has no interest whatever in
commandments or obedience. While she is passing out things like hot
muffins slathered in butter she tells her legalistic guest (Mack):

That she has forgiven every human their sins against her (225) though the bulk of them refuse to be reconciled to him;

That she never placed demands on anyone [God speaking to Mack (206): Honey, I have never placed an expectation on you or anyone else]

That she is never disappointed in anybody! [God
speaking to Mack (206): And beyond that because I have no expectations,
you never disappoint me. Mack is startled and says, You've never been
disappointed in me? God says, Never! [Isn't she sweet?]

That the notion of moral responsibility is a form of sinful self-dependence and a lust for control (203, 205, 206).

In
between bites she chuckles that Jesus nailed all divine commandments to
his cross, including the merciless, graceless Ten Commandments (202).
But the God of The Shack can't make up her mind. When docile
little Mack asks her if she ever gets angry with any of her children she
says (119), Sho nuff! What parent doesnt? The God of The Shack can't seem to see that if she commands nothing and expects nothing that she has sho nuff no reason to be angry with the kids and their choices.[It'd be a bit easier to swallow all this if Papa didn't expect anything only of Christians—they're not under law, you see—but Papa never laid expectations on anybody
for all she ever wanted was life with her human children and life has
no expectations for expectations destroy life and friendship and love
(203, 205). When she spoke commands to anyone she wasn't really asking for obedience, she was showing them that not only could they not obey, she was showing them that obedience has no connection with life anyway! Life is not about obedience, you see! Talk about obedience and doing God's will introduces responsibility and commands and guilt
and God, she tells us, doesnt do guilt (223) and, anyway, its a
psychological failure. She says. Commandments kill and accuse but bring
no freedom (203, 205).]When Mack complains that she is
asking him to believe that she is God she tells him (119), Im not asking
you to believe anything. So not only does she not command people or
expect anything of them she doesn't even ask them to believe anything.
How could she get mad at anybody? She says she is, but on what grounds? Being together with God in The Shack
is another vague, slippery notion that you can't grasp. It's easy to
see what being with God or sharing life with her means for Mack. He's
eating her pancakes and waffles and talking with her but what does it
mean in actual life's experience? I know what The Shack says it isn't but what is it? It's a relationship were told. Yes, but what is that? The Shack
is so afraid of legalism it waffles on and on about a God whose image
has no shape or form. When God did actually take human form in Jesus and
disclose his nature, character and purpose he is nothing like the Jesus
or the God of The Shack. In holy, heartfelt obedience to his
Father's will we went about doing good because God was with him (Acts
10:37-38). Horrors! Life isn't about doing the will of God for God has
no expectations nor does he want people to do good things; doesn't even
want them to believe him. So The Shack says.The
book is so afraid of legalism that it denies that Jesus wants us to be
Christians (182). As soon as you say Jesus is our example the book gets
all tensed up—Oh, oh, now someone's going to think we have to
follow Jesus example and that brings in responsibility, expectation and
certain behavior and that's law back in again, (205) and The Shack gets hives at such a thought.NT writers don't speak like The Shack;
they just boldly say (1 Peter 2:21), To this you were called, because
Christ suffered for you leaving you an example that you should follow in
his steps. This is the same man who insisted that life was a matter of
grace and who wouldn't tolerate a Pharisaical yoke (Acts 15:10-11). In
Philippians 2:5 to undergird his call to righteous life in Jesus
(2:1-4) Paul says they are to think and do as Jesus thought and did (he
uses a present imperative). There's no legalism here, no exhaustive
blueprint, just a plain unapologetic call to a joyful lifestyle that
images Jesus. 1 John 2:3-6 makes no bones about it; it tells us that
those who say they belong to Jesus pursue righteousness as he did and
they do good things just as he did. It doesn't encourage heartless
imitation and The Shack doesn't know the difference between
legalism and conformity to the image of Christ. Put off this and put on
that (Colossians 3:5-10) and this is from the man who said in chapter 2
that Jesus is all we need and that Jesus nailed our I.O.Us to the cross!
The Shack is so afraid of legalism that the
notion of obeying God's commands always conjures up the picture of an
exhaustive blueprint, a mechanical response to a list of rules. It gets
hives when obedience is mentioned so its God just waffles on vacuously
about life and being and relationship. The Shack is afraid of a
godly life having content or parameters for all that brings in
responsibility and keeping commandments and we all know what that means,
right? It tells us: Legalism is lord again; ritual is king and
friendship is dead! (205). In good Lutheran
Reformed manner it completely misunderstands the nature of the Mosaic
Law and makes it into a legalist's handbook. You might think this useful: clickIn The Shack Mack doesn't ask real questions. For example, he wants to know if God uses pain to force people to turn to him (189/190) and God tells him true love never forces. Who ever thought it did or could? But the God of Amos 4 explicitly says he uses pain to bring people back to him. The Jesus of Revelation 3:19 explicitly says I rebuke and chastise those I love, so be eager to repent. The God of The Shack is sho nuff sickeningly sweet, gently touches Mack's hand and forgives him for even suggesting that God might bring pain for a redemptive purpose.
This isn't the God of Habakkuk 1 or Acts 2:23 or Romans 4:25 and 8:32.
Its Benjamin Spock psychology that chuckles and eats another strip of
bacon as it smiles its way past the entire biblical witness.The Shack construes Ten Commandments as a demand for sinlessness but it doesnt deal the Ten Commandments as we find them in Exodus 20, it abstracts them from the covenant and makes them into free-standing moral demands. In the Bible theyre a part of a covenant of grace;
in the Shack theyre legal requirements, a code, a set of rules. If the
book was saying that thats how people have perversely understood the Ten
Commandments it would probably be correct but thats not what The Shack
is saying. It claims that the Mosaic Covenant was a legalist handbook
on how to get life with God and, of course, no one could do that. The Shacks treatment of the OT law has nothing in common with the biblical understand of it. Life
under the Law, the Shack insists, is static, predictable, a noun rather
than a verb, its unmoving, lifeless (204). But the psalmist who sang
Psalm 119 would have been astonished at such a claim. He spins like
Snoopy in ecstasy as he says (119:97), Oh how I love your law! I
meditate on it all day long. Listen to him (119:111): Your statutes are
my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. Take ten minutes
right now and read the psalm, please! Ask yourself if this man saw the
Torah (Law) in the way The Shack speaks of it.God
speaking to Mack: To the degree that one feels responsible to pursue
righteousness and holiness to that degree you neither know me nor trust
me. (206)Yes, I know, the God of The Shack
is sweet and chuckling and folksy and therefore more soothing and
appealing than the God you meet in Genesis 69, Exodus 714, Amos 4,
Numbers 16, Matthew 23, John 15:1-6, 1 Corinthians 5, Galatians 1 and
elsewhere. I dont have a doubt in the world that the God of the Bible is all about joy and dancing and life
as opposed to death and gloom and mechanical submission to rules! Like
millions of others Im staking my present life and hope on that! But to
divorce loving obedience, a warm willingness to fulfil responsibility or
gallant acceptance of a clear call to duty from all that is legalism
run amok. Such things arent the destruction of relationship with
Godamong many other things they constitute a relationship with God. Thats how people live real life with
one another; in gallant, gracious behaviour, in loving mutual
submission, which doesnt exist merely as a way of looking at thingsits
the set of the heart that cannot do other than express itself in warm
righteousness and allegiance. James debunks all this patter about a
faith and love without obligation when he says faith works! He isnt
talking about mechanical rule-keeping or heartless toeing a divine line!
The entire 1 John epistle is a protest against this mystical, vague,
indeterminate love of God that expects nothing and asks for nothing.Jeremiah
9:24 gives us a God with some positive shape. Dynamic, yes;
unpredictable in all kinds of ways, yes; but he loves and calls for
mercy, and justice and righteousness in the earth. Micah responds to the
whining ones who say they dont know what God wants of them and he tells
them that God has told them plainly what he wantsnot ritual or
heartless religion but for them to act justly, love mercy and walk
humbly before God (Micah 6:6-8).The Shack is
opposed to a mechanical and lifeless rule-keeping but the answer to
that false doctrine, the answer to that travesty of the image of God in
Jesus Christ is not this shapeless, formless, vague, utterly
unstructured view of life it offers.Were aware that
were not to slavishly try to imitate every move and act of Jesus and
nobody knew that better than John but it didnt keep him from saying (1
John 3:16-17), This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down
his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If
anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no
pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? It doesnt matter that
we dont always know how to do that best nor does it matter that we dont
always do itthe truth remains that John says we ought to do it because its part of the meaning of Jesus self-sacrifice. There is no mechanical
obligation here, theres no legalistic rule-keeping notion here but
there is definite moral content and an expected response in a life committed to Jesus.The Bible suffers at the hands of The Shack. Matthew 18 works on the basic truth that in Gods eyes everyone
is precious and worth trying to redeem. Were not to dismiss them and
think bitterly that we can easily live without themwere not to let them
stew in their own juices. Were to pursue them in grace, knowing that
weve been forgiven much, but if they will not have it, if they refuse to be reconciled they are to be excluded from the believing community (in hope). It isnt all aboutus as individuals!
God didnt create millions of independent human unitshe created a human
family, which by our choice became and at present continues to be a sinful human family. The believing community is a community of righteousness which in the present
is to reflect righteousness and warm-hearted justice which is what we
say Jesus is coming to bringa world in which all wrongs are righted and
joy-filled righteousness and holiness is the order of the day.The Shack
smirks at people knowing truth as if knowing truth is pretty much
over-rated; but its filled with claims that God wants us to know the
truth about him. The book is published to teach us truth so that we can get to know God in a life-giving way. Let me say it again, The Shack consistently downplays knowing truth and exists
to teach us truth. In words it tells us, It isnt words we need! If it
isnt words we need then why on earth would we need books like The Shack?Mere knowledge is not what we need. Does anyone not know that? Click here.The Shack is like a poor and fuzzy picture, underdeveloped and over-exposed.

One of Suffering's Greatest Benefits

It is reported that Oscar Wilde, the British playwright, once said that
there was enough suffering on any given street in London at any given
time to prove that there is no God. For millennia, skeptics, agnostics,
atheists, and infidels have pointed accusing fingers at the suffering in
this world, and have demanded that such evil and pain militates against
the concept of an all-powerful, all-loving God. Even Christians have
been faced with faith-trying episodes of suffering in their lives. How
could a loving God allow such bad things to happen to His human
creations?
In this brief article, an in-depth study of that question cannot be
undertaken (for an in-depth look at this topic, see Major, 1998). It is,
however, the case that one small aspect of the problem can be
presented: suffering in the lives of humans can lead them to establish a
right relationship with their Creator. Consider Manasseh, the king of
Judah, as a case in point. In 2 Kings 21, the Bible records that
Manasseh “did evil in the sight of the Lord” (vs. 2). He “practiced
soothsaying, used witchcraft, and consulted spiritists and mediums” (vs.
3). But his sins did not stop there; rather, he acted “more wickedly
than all the Amorites who were before him” and “made Judah sin with his
idols” (vs. 11). In addition, the text records that Manasseh “shed very
much innocent blood, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to
another” (vs. 16). This evil king seemed to be rotten to the core, and
beyond hope of turning to God.
Due to his sin, the Lord sent the army of Assyria to raid Judah. The
Assyrians captured Manasseh and led him away with hooks (probably nose
hooks) and bronze fetters to the land of Babylon. In this destitute
condition, when Manasseh’s suffering was at its worst, the Bible
records: “Now when he was afflicted, he implored the Lord his
God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and
prayed to Him; and He received his entreaty, heard his supplication, and
brought him back to Jerusalem into his king. Then Manasseh knew that
the Lord was God” (2 Chronicles 33:12-13, emp. added). Upon regaining
the throne, Manasseh removed the idols and foreign gods and
re-established worship of the one true God. Only through his
“affliction” did Manasseh realize that he needed God.
So it is with many today. The cares of this world have a way of keeping
people from contemplating their actual relationship with God. Yet, when
suffering hits their lives, the real issues of life often come into
much clearer focus. C.S. Lewis once wrote that pain was God’s “megaphone
to rouse a deaf world.” David, the inspired psalmist, in a prayer to
his God, wrote: “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep
Your word” (Psalm 119:67). It is a sad fact that some people never look
up to God until they are laying flat on their backs. Do not be deceived
into thinking that all suffering and pain is “useless.” On the contrary,
“count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the
testing of your faith produces patience” (James 1:2-3).

"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW"
The Baptism Of Jesus (3:13-17)
INTRODUCTION
1. The baptism of Jesus by John served a significant role in both of
their ministries...
a. It came at the height of John's ministry, after which his began
to decline
b. It served as the beginning of Jesus' ministry, which soon
overtook the ministry of John
2. The baptism of Jesus naturally raises some questions...
a. Why was He baptized?
b. Does it suggest an explanation of the purpose for Christian
baptism?
[In this study we shall endeavor to answer these questions, first by
reviewing the historical record concerning Jesus' baptism...]
I. THE BAPTISM OF JESUS
A. JESUS COMES TO JOHN...
1. From Galilee to the Jordan River - Mt 3:13a
a. Jesus had been living in Nazareth, a city of Galilee
- Mt 2:23
b. John had been baptizing in the Jordan River, where there
was much water - Mt 3:5-6; Jn 3:23
2. To be baptized by John - Mt 3:13b
B. JOHN SEEKS TO PREVENT JESUS...
1. John tried to prevent Jesus from being baptized - Mt 3:14a
2. He explains why: "I need to be baptized by You, and are You
coming to Me?" - Mt 3:14b
a. There is a sense of shock in John's words
b. While John did not fully comprehend who Jesus was until
later (cf. Jn 1:29-33), he evidently knew enough that he
was perplexed
C. JESUS PERSUADES JOHN...
1. Jesus convinces John to permit His baptism - Mt 3:15a
2. As Jesus explains why: "It is fitting for us to fulfill all
righteousness."
3. And so Jesus is baptized by John - Mt 3:15b
D. THE SPIRIT AND THE FATHER ADD THEIR TESTIMONY...
1. The heavens open, and the Spirit of God descends like a dove
(in bodily form, Lk 3:22) and lights upon Jesus - Mt 3:16
2. A voice from heaven proclaims:
a. "This is My beloved Son"
b. "In whom I am well pleased"
[Without question, the baptism of Jesus was a significant event! It
naturally raises several questions which I will try to answer...]
II. QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE BAPTISM OF JESUS
A. WHY WAS JESUS BAPTIZED?
1. Clearly not for the same reason other people were being
baptized by John
a. Theirs was a baptism of repentance for the remission of
sins - cf. Mk 1:4
b. They were confessing their sins - cf. Mk 1:5; Mt 3:6
-- Jesus was without sin - He 4:15
2. Jesus said it was "to fulfill all righteousness" - Mt 3:15
a. It was God's counsel that people be baptized of John
- cf. Lk 7:29-30
b. Jesus was willing to set the right example by doing the
Father's will, something He delighted to do - Ps 40:7-8;
Jn 4:34; 8:29
3. It also served to introduce Him to John and Israel
a. John had been proclaiming that He was coming - Mt 3:11
b. John had been told that the Spirit coming upon Jesus would
be a sign - Jn 1:29-34
B. DOES JESUS' BAPTISM EXPLAIN THE PURPOSE OF CHRISTIAN BAPTISM?
1. Many refer to Jesus' baptism to explain the purpose of
Christian baptism
a. That our baptism has nothing to do with the remission of
sins
b. That our baptism is but a public profession of one's faith
c. That our baptism is to publicly identify our relation to
Christ, just as His baptism publicly introduced Him to
Israel
2. However, there is no Biblical connection made between Jesus'
baptism and our own
a. Christian baptism is for the remission of sins - Ac 2:38;
22:16
b. Christian baptism is a union with Christ in His death
- Ro 6:3-7
c. Christian baptism was often administered in relative
privacy - Ac 8:35-38; 16:25-34
-- No Biblical writer suggests that we are baptized for the same
reason Jesus was!
C. WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SPIRIT DESCENDING AND THE
FATHER'S VOICE?
1. They certainly bear testimony as to who Jesus is
a. As the Spirit would do later, via the works Jesus did
- Mt 12:28
b. As the Father would do later, on another occasion - Mt 17:5
2. They also bear testimony to the nature of the Godhead
a. I.e., three distinct persons in One God
b. Though One in substance, there is a distinction to be made
between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - cf. Mt 28:19CONCLUSION
1. With the baptism of Jesus...
a. He was formally introduced to John, and by him to Israel - Jn 1:
29-34
b. The Father and the Spirit audibly and visually confirmed Him as
the Son
c. Jesus demonstrated His desire to "fulfill all righteousness"
2. The baptism of Jesus is certainly significant to Christians...
a. Not we were baptized for the same reason as He
b. But certainly in confirming that He was the Messiah
c. And displaying the attitude that should be true of all His
disciples ("I have come to do my Father's will...")
Jesus did not "need" baptism because He was without sin, but was
baptized anyway because it was the Father's will for man at that time.
Should we who are sinners dare hesitate to do the Father's will
regarding baptism today? - Mt 28:18-20; Mk 16:15-16; Ac 2:38

"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW"
Preparing The Way Of The Lord (3:1-12)
INTRODUCTION
1. Prior to the beginning of Jesus' public ministry, we read of the
work of John the Baptist...
a. Who preached in the wilderness of Judea - Mt 3:1
b. Who at first had a very successful ministry - Mt 3:5-6
c. Which was later cut short by his imprisonment - Mt 4:12
2. Though John's work was short-lived, it was clearly important...
a. Each of the four gospels preface Jesus' ministry with that of
John's
b. His ministry prepared people for what was to come
[If we seek to understand the message and ministry of Jesus Christ, we
must start with the one who was sent to "prepare the way of the Lord".
In this study we shall begin by observing what we can regarding...]
I. THE MINISTRY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
A. HIS MESSAGE...
1. A call to repentance - Mt 3:1-2
a. Lit., "a changing of the mind"
b. Which change prompts one to turn from sin and turn to God
c. Prompted by sorrow for one's sins, manifested by a zealous
desire to do what is right - cf. 2Co 7:10-11
2. A proclamation of the coming "kingdom of heaven" - Mt 3:2
a. The term "kingdom" in Jewish thought meant "rule, reign"
b. The phrase "of heaven" implies the source of such rule;
other gospel writers use "of God" - cf. Mk 1:14-15
c. The rule or reign of God was about to be manifested in a
special way; it was "at hand" (near)
B. HIS PURPOSE...
1. To fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah - Mt 3:3
a. Which was to "prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths
straight" - Isa 40:3
b. I.e., to prepare people for the coming of the Messiah
2. To fulfill the prophecy of Malachi - Mt 3:4
a. Concerning the sending of Elijah - cf. Mal 4:5-6
b. John came "in the spirit and power of Elijah", not that he
actually was Elijah - cf. Jn 1:19-23 (cf. Mt 3:4 with
2Ki 1:8)
-- As the angel told Zacharias, his son John was to "make ready a
people prepared for the Lord" - Lk 1:16-17
C. HIS SUCCESS...
1. People from Jerusalem, all Judea, etc., went to him - Mt 3:5
2. They were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins
- Mt 3:6
a. For he preached a baptism of repentance - Mk 1:4a
b. A baptism for the remission of sins - Mk 1:4b
D. HIS CHALLENGE...
1. When people came to be baptized, he expected to see fruits in
keeping with true repentance - Mt 3:7-8
a. He expected compassion for the poor - Lk 3:10-11
b. He expected honest business dealings - Lk 3:12-13
c. He expected fair treatment, contentment with one's wages
- Lk 3:14
2. He told them not to trust in their heritage or ancestry
- Mt 3:9
a. It was not enough to be Jews, descendants of Abraham
b. God could just as easily raise up children to Abraham out
of stones
3. He warned them that the time of judgment was near - Mt 3:10
a. The "ax" (God's judgment) was at the root of the trees
b. That which did not bear good fruit would be cut off
- cf. Ro 11:11-23; Jn 15:1-6
E. HIS PROMISE...
1. One mightier than he is coming - Mt 3:11
a. Yes, John did indeed baptize with water with repentance
b. But one (Jesus) was coming to baptize with the Holy Spirit
and fire!
2. Whose work would be to separate the wheat from the chaff
- Mt 3:12
a. Using a "winnowing fan" (the Holy Spirit? cf. Jn 16:7-8,
12-13)
b. And burn up the chaff with "unquenchable fire" (the
Judgment? cf. Mt 13:30)
[We can learn more of the ministry of John the Baptist by studying the
other gospels, but what Matthew records is sufficient to make several
observations about how he was "Preparing The Way Of The Lord"...]
II. OBSERVATIONS CONCERNING THE MINISTRY OF JOHN
A. JOHN PREPARED PEOPLE FOR JESUS' MESSAGE...
1. John preached a call to repent - Mt 3:2,8
a. Jesus did the same during His earthly ministry - Mt 4:17;
9:13; 11:20; 12:41
b. Jesus expected the call to repentance to be proclaimed in
His name to all nations - Lk 24:46-47
c. And so His apostles proclaimed the need to repent - Ac 2:
38; 3:19; 17:30; 20:20-21; 26:19-20
-- Unless we heed to the call to repent, we have not begun to
understand nor act upon what it means to be true disciples
of Jesus Christ!
2. John proclaimed the good news of the kingdom, that it was near
- Mt 3:2
a. This was the same message proclaimed by Jesus - Mt 4:17;
cf. Mk 1:14-15
b. By His disciples, in the Limited Commission - Mt 10:7
c. The theme of the kingdom was an important part of the
gospel following the Great Commission - Ac 8:12; 14:22;
19:8; 20:25; 28:23
-- What came to be taught concerning the kingdom, we shall
consider in another lesson; but it was "at hand" during
Jesus' earthly ministry, and in existence following His
ascension to heaven - cf. Col 1:13; 1Th 2:12; Re 1:9
B. JOHN PREPARED THE PEOPLE FOR JESUS' WORK...
1. He spoke of Jesus as One who would baptize with the Holy
Spirit - Mt 3:11
a. This did not rule out Jesus baptizing in water, or that His
disciples would
1) Indeed, Jesus did baptize in water, via His disciples
- Jn 4:1-2
2) He later commanded water baptism in the Great
Commission, which His disciples carried out - Mt 28:
19-20; Ac 2:38; 8:35-38; 10:47-48
b. But Jesus would also baptize with the Holy Spirit, as
promised - cf. Ac 1:4-5
1) Which occurred at Pentecost - cf. Ac 2:1-21
2) The result of which affects all who are saved - Tit 3:5-7
-- Yes, John "indeed" baptized with water (as would Jesus),
but John prepared the people for a work Jesus would do that
went far beyond what he was doing!
2. He spoke of Jesus as One who would separate the "wheat" from
the "chaff" - Mt 3:12
a. Jesus' work would divide the good from the bad - cf. Mt 13:
47-50
b. His work would even cause division within one's family
- cf. Mt 10:34-39
-- From what John said, we can expect that the effect of
Jesus' work would sometimes cause division, not peace!
3. He spoke of Jesus as administering judgment - Mt 3:12
a Jesus later depicted Himself as judge - Mt 26:31-46
b. He spoke of how His words would judge us in the last day
- Jn 12:48
-- It is true that Jesus came the first time to save the
world, but He is coming again, this time to judge the
world! - 2Th 1:7-10CONCLUSION
1. The ministry of John the Baptist was an important one...
a. To "prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight"
b. This he did by preaching the same themes, letting people know
what to expect
-- Of course, there was more, as John was to actually identify the
Messiah to Israel
2. But when Jesus began preaching, people were more likely to:
a. Repent of their sins
b. Answer the call to be baptized
c. Accept the good news concerning the kingdom
...for John had been preaching such themes in the wilderness of
Judea!
3. In a sense, John's message is still needed today...
a. There are many who turn the message of Jesus Christ into some
sort of "easy-believism"
b. But John reminds us of the need to bear fruits in keeping with
true repentance
As Jesus would say later, "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do
not do the things which I say?" (Lk 6:46). Are you showing true
acceptance of Jesus as Lord by doing the things He says?

"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW"
The Early Years Of Jesus (2:13-23)
INTRODUCTION
1. A remarkable feature concerning the gospel records is their
brevity...
a. Especially related to the early life of Jesus, following His
birth
b. Mark and John relate nothing about this period of Jesus' life
c. Only Matthew and Luke record something about the first thirty
years
2. Other than the visit of the wise men, Matthew records only...
a. The flight to Egypt - Mt 2:13-15
b. The massacre by Herod - Mt 2:16-18
c. The return to Nazareth - Mt 2:19-23
3. Why did Matthew record only these three events? Are there any
lessons to be gleaned from what we know of the early years of Jesus?
[In an effort to answer such questions, let's take a few moments and
first examine the text of Mt 2:13-23...]
I. MATTHEW'S ACCOUNT OF THE EARLY YEARS OF JESUS
A. THE FLIGHT TO EGYPT...
1. Precipitated by the angel's warning - Mt 2:13-14
a. Joseph was told to take Mary and the Child to Egypt
b. For Herod was seeking to destroy Jesus
2. Remaining there until the death of Herod - Mt 2:15
a. The sojourn and eventual departure from Egypt fulfilled
prophecy - Hos 11:1
b. For the exodus of Israel alluded to in Hosea was evidently
a type or shadow of the Messiah's own call out of Egypt
B. THE MASSACRE OF THE INFANTS...
1. Herod's angry decree - Mt 2:16
a. Having been frustrated in his original plans - Mt 2:7-8,12
b. Ordering the death of all male children, two and under, in
Bethlehem and surrounding districts
2. Jeremiah's prophecy - Mt 2:17-18
a. This terrible calamity had been foreseen - Jer 31:15
b. For the exile of Israel alluded to in Jeremiah was likewise
a type or shadow of the grief that would be experienced
again in the region where Rachel was buried
C. THE RETURN TO NAZARETH...
1. Joseph was directed via dreams - Mt 2:19-22
a. First, to return to Israel, for Herod was dead
b. Then, to go to Galilee instead of Judea, for Herod's son
Archelaus was reigning in Judea
2. Residing in Nazareth, another fulfillment of prophecy
- Mt 2:23
a. The prophecy "He shall be called a Nazarene" was based
upon the words of several prophets ("which was spoken by
the prophets")
b. There are at least two possibilities as to what is meant...
1) "It may be that this term of contempt (Jn 1:46; 7:52) is
what is meant, and that several prophecies are to be
combined like Ps 22:6,8; 69:11,19; Isa 53:2-4."
- Robertson's Word Pictures
2) "Verse 23 alludes to Isa. 11:1, which states that a
"branch" (netser, Heb.) will grow out of the roots of
Jesse (cf. Jer 23:5). Under this view, "branch" and
"Nazarene" share the same root (nzr, Heb.), and "branch"
refers to the coming ruler of Davidic descent. Although
they used a different word, other prophets also spoke of
the Messiah in terms of the "branch" (Jer. 23:5; Zech3:8; 6:12), and Matthew could legitimately say that this
prediction was "spoken by the prophets" (vv. 6, 15)."
- Believer's Study Bible
[It should be apparent that Matthew selected those events in Jesus'
early life which were foretold by the prophets. This assisted him in
his purpose to show his Jewish readers that Jesus was truly the Messiah
for Whom they were looking! Now for a couple of...]
II. LESSONS TO BE GLEANED FROM JESUS' EARLY YEARS
A. WORLDLY RULERS ARE OFTEN OPPOSED TO GOD'S RULE...
1. This is seen throughout Jesus' life and the period following
a. Herod the Great, upset at His birth - Mt 2:1-3,16
b. Herod Antipas, who had John imprisoned and beheaded
- Mt 4:12;14:1-12
c. The leaders of Israel
1) Who plotted against Jesus - Mt 26:3-4; 27:1-2
2) Who attempted to cover up His resurrection - Mt 28:11-15
3) Who sought to prevent the apostles from telling their
story - Ac 4:1-3,18; 5:40; 24:1-5
2. We should not be surprised if the same should happen to us
today
a. Jesus warned that such might happen - Jn 15:18-20
b. Satan will certainly do all that he can to stop us
1) He was behind the efforts to persecute Christ and His
church - Re 12:3-5,17; 1Pe 5:8-9
2) He made use of kings to war against the Lamb and His
followers - Re 17:12-14
3) And will do so again - cf. Re 20:7-9
-- But as prophesied, all such efforts are for naught! - cf. Ps 2:1-12
B. HUMBLE BEGINNINGS CAN'T HINDER THE ADVANCE OF GOD'S WILL...
1. Jesus' beginnings did not prevent Him from doing great things
a. Even though He lived in exile and relative obscurity at the
beginning (in Egypt)
b. Even though He was raised in a town despised by others
(Nazareth)
2. The example of Jesus' humility ought to inspire us
a. To accept the mind of Christ, especially in relation to our
brethren - Php 2:5-8
b. To accept whatever area of service we might have in life
- cf. Ps 84:10
-- For those who humble themselves will be exalted at the right
time - cf. 1Pe 5:5-7CONCLUSION
1. What we know of Jesus' early years is very little
2. But it is sufficient to confirm that He was truly the Messiah...
a. Who would be "despised and rejected by men" - Isa 53:3
b. Against whom "the kings of the earth set themselves" - Ps 2:2-3
3. And it should be sufficient to remind His disciples...
a. That we can expect the same treatment - 2Ti 3:12
b. That we seek to emulate the same example of humility and
willingness to suffer for the will of God - 1Pe 2:21
Are you willing to humbly serve and even suffer persecution for Jesus
"the Nazarene"?

"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW"
The Visit Of The Wise Men (2:1-12)
INTRODUCTION
1. Common to many nativity scenes commemorating the birth of Jesus is
the presence of "three wise men"...
a. Implied is that these men, three in number, visited Jesus while
still in the manger
b. Is this what the Bible really teaches?
2. Matthew is the gospel writer who records this visit...
a. Which is found in Mt 2:1-12
b. Which serves as the text for our study today
[This story of "The Visit Of The Wise Men" is both interesting and of
practical value. Having read the text, let's first note some...]
I. INTERESTING FEATURES OF THIS STORY
A. FOR WHAT MATTHEW DOESN'T TELL US...
1. Who exactly were these "wise men from the East"?
a. Some think they were a group of priests from Persia
b. Others believe they were astrologers from Babylon
2. How many were there?
a. No actual number is given
b. Three types of gift are mentioned (Mt 2:11), but quality of
gifts does not necessarily imply the quantity of givers!
3. What was the nature of the "star"?
a. Was it an actual "star"?
b. Was it the planet Jupiter, often associated with the birth
of kings
c. Was it a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in the Sign of
the Fish?
d. Was it a comet acting erratically?
4. How did these wise men connect the star with the birth of the
king of the Jews?
a. Had they been taught by Jews of the Dispersion to expect
the Messiah?
b. Had they been given special revelation from God not
recorded in the Scriptures?
B. FOR WHAT LEGENDS HAVE RISEN...
1. That these wise men were "three kings from the Orient"
2. That their names were Melchior, Balthasar, and Caspar
3. That they visited Baby Jesus together with the shepherds the
night of His birth
a. But it was some time later (up to two years!) - Mt 2:1,16
b. They visited Mary and the child in a house, not a stable!
- Mt 2:11
4. That they were later baptized by Thomas
[The facts are the Biblical record says little about WHO these men
were. Perhaps because the emphasis is upon WHAT they did: "We have
come to WORSHIP Him." (Mt 2:2,11) What is important is that Jesus is
worthy of worship, which can only mean that He is truly DEITY (cf.
"Immanuel", or "God with us")!
But there are other lessons that can be gleaned from "The Visit Of The
Wise Men"...]
II. LESSONS TO BE LEARNED
A. IT IS EASY FOR FICTION TO BE TAKEN AS FACT...
1. We have seen what people have done with the story of Jesus'
birth
a. Making the number of the wise men to be three
b. Having them visit Jesus in the stable
2. There are other examples
a. Making the "forbidden fruit" in the Garden to be an "apple"
b. Depicting baptism in the Bible as pouring or sprinkling
-- We need to be like the Bereans (Ac 17:11), and make sure we
get the facts straight!
B. THERE MAY BE TRUE SERVANTS OF GOD IN PLACES WHERE WE MIGHT NOT
EXPECT TO FIND THEM...
1. The Lord may have many "hidden ones" (i.e., hidden to our
knowledge) like the wise men
2. Their history on earth may be as little known as that of
Melchizedek, Job, Jethro
3. We must not assume that God's people consists only of those we
know about, listed in "our" directories
a. There can be many faithful Christians in other countries
b. We may not know about them, but God does! - 2 Tim 2:19
-- Though unknown to us, we can still pray for them!
C. IT IS NOT ALWAYS THOSE WHO HAVE THE MOST RELIGIOUS PRIVILEGES,
WHO GIVE CHRIST THE MOST HONOR...
1. One would think the chief priests and scribes would have been
the first to go to Bethlehem, hearing rumors that the Savior
was born
a. But no, it was a few unknown strangers from a distant land
b. As John wrote in his gospel, "He came to His own, and His
own did not receive Him" - Jn 1:11
2. Sadly, the same is often true today
a. Those in the Lord's church often show less love and
adoration than those in the denominations of men
b. Children of Christian parents often show less interest than
many children of non-Christians
D. THERE MAY BE KNOWLEDGE IN THE HEAD, WHILE THERE IS NO GRACE IN
THE HEART...
1. The chief priests and scribes were quick to provide Herod the
answer to his question
a. But as far as we know, they did not act on such knowledge
b. They did not go to Bethlehem, and some never did come to
believe in Him
2. What about us today?
a. We may knowledge in the head (we know the truth), but do we
have grace in our hearts (do we act on it)?
b. We need to always grow in grace and knowledge - 2Pe 3:18
E. THE WISE MEN ARE A SPLENDID EXAMPLE OF SPIRITUAL DILIGENCE...
1. Consider what it must have cost them to travel
a. In money
b. In time
c. In dangers
2. What about our diligence? Are we willing to pay the price...
a. To find Christ?
b. To serve Him?
c. To worship Him?
-- They traveled at great costs and risk to worship Jesus; many
Christians won't even take the time to attend a gospel meeting
or a second service on Sunday!
F. THE WISE MEN ARE A STRIKING EXAMPLE OF FAITH...
1. They believed in Christ...
a. When they had never seen Him prior to their journey
b. When the scribes and chief priests were unbelieving
c. When all they saw was a little child on a mother's knee!
1) Without miracles to convince them (except the star)
2) Without much teaching to persuade them
-- Yet they "fell down and worshipped Him"
2. This is the kind of faith God delights to honor!
a. For God saw fit to record their example of faith for us
b. And every time this passage is read, their example of faith
is honored!
-- As Jesus said later, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you
have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet
have believed." - Jn 20:29CONCLUSION
1. May the faith and diligence of the wise men serve to inspire us to
greater service to our Lord!
2. Though the world around us may remain careless and unbelieving,
let's not be ashamed to believe in Jesus and confess Him
3. We have much more reason to believe Him and worship Him...
a. His miracles, His resurrection from the dead
b. His teachings, His death on the cross for our sins
Are we willing to make the effort to find, worship, and serve this
great King? As stated on a popular bumber-sticker:
"Wise men still seek Him"
NOTE: Some of the main points for this lesson were taken from
"Expository Thoughts On The Gospels" by J. C. Ryle.

"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW"
Jesus And Immanuel (1:18-25)
INTRODUCTION
1. In Mt 1:18-25, we have Matthew's account of the birth of Jesus...
a. Matthew tells the story with a focus on Joseph
b. Whereas Luke centers on Mary
2. Noble qualities of Joseph are certainly seen in this passage...
a. His tender consideration for Mary
b. His willingness to bear ridicule
-- Little else is known of him, for it is his adopted son who is the
primary interest in Matthew's gospel
3. The word "gospel" means "good news", and hints of just how good that
news is occurs in this passage...
a. Especially when one contemplates the names by which the son of
Mary was to be called
b. Such names as "Jesus" and "Immanuel"
4. In this lesson, we shall consider more closely these two names...
a. One which describes His OFFICE (what was He to do?)
b. One which describes His NATURE (who was He?)
[First we note that in his dream, the angel of the Lord tells Joseph
concerning the child to be born of Mary...]
I. "YOU SHALL CALL HIS NAME JESUS"
A. HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS OF THIS NAME...
1. A very common Jewish name, often given in memory of Joshua
(the Hebrew form of the name, Jesus)
2. It is interesting to compare these two figures of history
a. Joshua led the nation of Israel into the promised land
(Canaan)
b. Jesus leads the people of God into the Promised Land
(Heaven)
B. SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS NAME...
1. Jesus (Joshua) means "God is Savior"
2. The son of Mary was rightfully called that, because "He will
save His people from their sins" - Mt 1:21
3. This Jesus would do by saving them...
a. From the GUILT of sin
1) By offering His blood as the atonement for their sins
- cf. Ro 5:8-9a
2) When one is washed by the blood of Jesus, He truly is
their Savior
b. From the POWER of sin
1) By sending His sanctifying Spirit to help His people
break sin's dominion
2) Paul writes of this in Ro 8:1-2,12-14
c. From the CONSEQUENCE of sin
1) I.e., the wrath of God to come
2) Cf. Ro 5:9; 1Th 1:9-10
d. Ultimately, from the PRESENCE of sin
1) I.e., when we depart to "be with the Lord"
2) Cf. Re 7:13-17
4. And so the name of JESUS should be...
a. A very encouraging name to heavy-laden sinners
1) Souls which desire salvation may draw near to the Father
with confidence through Christ
2) For it is His OFFICE (function, work) to show mercy
- Jn 3:17
b. A very sweet and precious name to believers
1) For He continues to intercede in our behalf, to save us
from our sins
2) Cf. He 4:14-16; 7:24-25
[As stated in a popular hymn, "There is a Name I love to hear..." and
that name is "Jesus"! It may have been common in the days of Jesus,
but should be very special now to all who seek to be saved from their
sins!
As Matthew recounts what the angel told Mary, he adds that the birth of
Jesus also fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah in which it is said...]
II. "THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL"
A. HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS OF THIS NAME...
1. Isaiah's prophecy concerning this name is found in Isa 7:14
2. In which a virgin would give birth to a child who would be
called "Immanuel"
B. SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS NAME...
1. Immanuel literally means "God is with us" - cf. Mt 1:23
2. This name describes the Messiah's NATURE; i.e., that He is
Deity!
a. Other passages expound upon this aspect of Christ's nature
1) He is "Mighty God, Everlasting Father" - Isa 9:6
2) He is "God", possessing the "glory of God"; the Great
"I AM", who shared in the glory of the Father prior to
His incarnation - cf. Jn 1:1-3,14; 8:56-59; 17:5 (cf.
Isa 42:8)
3) Declared to be "the Son of God with power" by virtue of
His resurrection - Ro 1:3-4
4) He was "equal with God" who willingly humbled Himself
- cf. Php 2:5-11
5) In Him "dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily"
- Col 2:9
b. Human minds, finite and feeble, wrestle with this great
mystery, but Jesus was "God manifested in the flesh"!
- 1Ti 3:16CONCLUSION
1. Would you have a strong foundation for your faith and hope?
a. Then keep in constant view your Savior's name "IMMANUEL" ("God
with us")
b. For having become flesh, God understands our human plight - cf.
He 2:17-18
2. Would you have sweet comfort in suffering and trial?
a. Then keep in constant view your Savior's name "JESUS" ("God is
Savior")
b. For in sending His Son to die, God has offered a propitiation for
our sins - 1Jn 4:9-10
Thus they called the Child, born of a virgin and raised by a carpenter.
By His resurrection from the dead, He proved true to His name. Are you
willing to obey Jesus as the One who was "God with us", and through whom
"God is Savior"? - Mt 7:21-23; 28:19-20

"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW"
The Genealogy Of Jesus Christ (1:1-17)
INTRODUCTION
1. We begin our study by reading the first seventeen verses of Matthew
(Mt 1:1-17)
2. In 2Ti 3:16-17, we are told that ALL scripture is profitable
a. This includes such sections as the one we have just read
b. Though some may consider it a dry, laborious genealogical table
of names...
1) It is profitable for doctrine
2) It is profitable for instruction in righteousness
3. My objective will be to share some spiritual thoughts that can be
gleaned from this scripture
[Since Matthew is the only one of the four gospel writers to begin his
gospel with a genealogical record of Jesus, let me first suggest a
reason why...]
I. WHY MATTHEW BEGINS WITH THIS GENEALOGY
A. IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE NATURE AND PURPOSE OF HIS GOSPEL...
1. It has been observed that:
a. Matthew wrote for the Jews
b. Mark wrote for the Romans
c. Luke wrote for the Greeks
d. John wrote for the church
2. Matthew's gospel was designed to convince Jews that Jesus is
the Messiah
a. Fulfillment of Jewish prophecy is a recurring theme - e.g.,
Mt 1:22-23; 2:4-6,14-15,17-18,23
b. Genealogy was certainly important to the nation of Israel
- Gen 5, 10, 1Ch 1-9
B. TO SHOW THAT JESUS FULFILLS TWO MESSIANIC PREREQUISITES...
1. The Messiah had to be a descendant of Abraham - cf. Gen 22:18
2. The Messiah had to be a descendant of David - cf. Isa 11:1-2,
10
-- Mt 1:1 proclaims this to be true of Jesus, and Mt 1:2-17
demonstrates it
[Whatever else Jesus may have done, if He was not a descendant of
Abraham and David, He could not be the Messiah. So a gospel directed
especially to the Jews would naturally settle this issue before
proceeding. Now let's note some...]
II. SIGNIFICANT FEATURES OF THIS GENEALOGY
A. THE WAY IT IS DIVIDED...
1. Into three sections of fourteen names each - Mt 1:17
a. Abraham to David
b. David to the Babylonian captivity
c. Babylonian captivity to Jesus
-- This may have been to facilitate committing to memory
2. Which may explain why some names were omitted
a. Between Joram and Uzziah there were three kings (Ahaziah,
Joash, & Amaziah) - cf. Mt 1:8
b. But such omission was not unusual in Jewish genealogies;
minor figures were often deleted
-- The main purpose was to establish essential connections,
not minor details
B. JESUS' "LEGAL" RIGHT TO DAVID'S THRONE IS ESTABLISHED...
1. Not His "fleshly" right, for Matthew describes Jesus as the
adopted son of Joseph
2. Luke records the "fleshly" ancestry of Jesus in Lk 3:23-38
a. A record of His ancestry from His mother's side
b. Where He is shown to have descended from David through
Nathan, not Solomon
-- A careful study of Lk 3 confirms this
3. This helps to answer a puzzling dilemma found in the OT
a. God promised that the Messiah would come from the loins of
David
b. But a descendant through Solomon, Jeconiah (Mt 1:11), was
so wicked that God promised none of his descendants would
rule on the throne of David - Jer 22:24-30
c. How then would God fulfill His promise to David?
1) By a descendant from a son other than Solomon
2) Which Jesus was, having descended in the flesh from
Nathan
4. So Jesus is both "legal" and "fleshly" heir to the throne of
David...
a. "Legal" heir by virtue of His adoption by Joseph,
descendant of Solomon
b. "Fleshly" heir by virtue of His birth by Mary, descendant
of Nathan
C. THE INSERTION OF FOUR MOTHER'S NAMES...
1. They are unique, not only to be included in such a list, but
in that:
a. Three were tainted in regards to moral purity
1) Tamar played a harlot
2) Rahab was a harlot
3) Bathsheba was an adulteress
b. Ruth, though morally sweet and noble, mingled the royal
blood line with Gentile blood!
2. Why mention these four women? Perhaps to suggest...
a. The relation of Christ to the stained and sinful?
b. Jesus would be a King to show mercy and pity to harlots,
and open His kingdom to include Gentiles?
[Whether this was Matthew's intention here, he does illustrate later
that Christ extended mercy to the morally repugnant and would enlarge
His kingdom to include all nations.
Finally, let's consider...]
III. LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM THIS GENEALOGY
A. GOD ALWAYS KEEPS HIS WORD...
1. He made promises...
a. To Abraham
b. To David
c. Through Isaiah
...and the coming of Jesus, son of David, son of Abraham,
fulfilled that promise!
2. We can therefore have confidence that God will keep His word!
a. E.g., the promise of His Son's final coming - cf. Ac 1:9
b. There is no need to lose heart!
1) The duration between this promise and its fulfillment
has barely reached the time between the promise made to
Abraham and its fulfillment!
2) I.e., 2000 years passed, but God still kept His promise
to Abraham
3) Likewise He will keep His promise to us!
B. GODLINESS IS NOT INHERITED...
1. Many godly fathers have had ungodly sons!
a. Solomon had Rehoboam
b. Hezekiah had Manasseh
c. Josiah had Jeconiah
2. As it has been said, "God has no grandchildren"
a. Being a child of God does not insure that your children
will be God's children!
b. As parents, let us...
1) Be diligent to raise our children in the "nurture and
admonition of the Lord"
2) Not lose heart when our children stray (even Manasseh
eventually repented)
C. THE GREATNESS OF OUR LORD'S MERCY AND COMPASSION...
1. Jesus humbled Himself when He came to this earth in the
likeness of men - cf. Php 2:5-8
2. He did this for our sakes!
a. To taste death for everyone - He 2:9
b. To help bring us to glory - He 2:10
c. To deliver us from the fear and power of death - He 2:14-15
d. To become our merciful and faithful High Priest - He 2:
16-18
CONCLUSION
1. All this and much more, Jesus did by becoming what the first
seventeen verses of Matthew's gospel proclaims: "...the Son of
David, the Son of Abraham"
2. This genealogy of Jesus Christ...
a. Establishes the right of Jesus to be the Messiah
b. Reminds us of God's mercy
1) In the lives of Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba
2) In our own lives by fulfilling His promise to send Son to die
for our sins
Have you received the mercy God offers through "Jesus Christ...the
Son of David, the Son of Abraham"?